"Abortion is never justified

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

“ABORTION IS NEVER JUSTIFIED”

As a Roman Catholic Christian, I believe abortion is wrong in most cases. Although in some cases abortion can be justified.

I believe abortion is the killing of an innocent child. This is not just because I am a Roman Catholic, but because I have examined both points of view and have found that the reasons for having an abortion do not out weigh moral justification that abortion is right. In this remaining part of this coursework, I will be examining the different views on the topic of whether abortion is right or wrong and the reasons behind the different views on abortion.

I believe that abortion is wrong up to a certain extent because God is the creator of all human life and it is his decision when we are to die or not. I believe that if someone takes away life in certain cases, it is like ‘playing God’. In the Bible, we are told several times that God places a heavy value on human life. In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we are told we are ‘made in the image of God’ this shows that ever since the beginning of time, God has valued human life. In Jeremiah, we are told that before we are ‘formed in the womb’, he ‘knew us’ and in Corinthians, that are bodies ‘are the temples of God’. Another reason why I feel abortion is wrong up to a certain extent, is that in principle, in the Bible, the commandment ‘thou shalt not kill’ tells us it is a sin. As a Roman Catholic, I am taught that life begins at conception. Therefore, to kill a foetus is to kill a person.

On the other hand, some may suggest that abortion is right. Many people that believe this, are normally non Christian or do not have a religion. In some Asian countries, people are encouraged to only have one child by law as the country may be heavily over populated. If a woman ended up having more than one child, abortion would be suggested. I believe that abortion is not a solution to population control, even in the direst state of circumstances. Many groups of people including organisations such as the PCA (which is open to anyone from all different religious ...

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On the other hand, some may suggest that abortion is right. Many people that believe this, are normally non Christian or do not have a religion. In some Asian countries, people are encouraged to only have one child by law as the country may be heavily over populated. If a woman ended up having more than one child, abortion would be suggested. I believe that abortion is not a solution to population control, even in the direst state of circumstances. Many groups of people including organisations such as the PCA (which is open to anyone from all different religious backgrounds), believe that a woman’s right to an abortion is primarily her own. They believe this because a right to an abortion is a right to the control of ones own body. They also may suggest examples to back up their belief. For example, they may suggest that if a woman was to twist her ankle, it is not up to anyone else but herself whether or not she uses crutches. I personally, do not believe that aborting a child and twisting one’s ankle are comparable, as they are completely two different issues. The issue of having an abortion carries heavy moral implication due to the way that society views such action. It tends to bare upon the Although, in some cases abortion could be justifiable. For example rape. I believe that rape is a terrible injustice to a woman. I believe because of this abortion can be justified. At the same time, even if the circumstances of how the baby was conceived were wrong, it still does not change the evil of abortion. Furthermore, the baby is innocent and has committed no crime. Why should the child die for the crime of the father? As a Christian, I will always regard rape an evil act, but so also is abortion. We cannot say “YES” to one and “NO” to the other. They are both wrong. Another situation where abortion could be justifiable is when the child is severely handicapped. Aborting the child could be a good thing as the child would suffer a very difficult life had it stayed alive. Although, who knows what could happen in the future accept God? There have been times where foetus’ that have been declared handicapped have come out perfectly healthy. Medical tests are never 100% accurate. An example of a high profile disabled person leading a fulfilled life is Steven Hawking. Secondly, would the same argument be justifiable after birth? These are two arguments which have to be taken into consideration when deciding to carry out an abortion. Finally I believe that if a child will endanger the life of the existing mother, an abortion is justifiable as we must take care of the present life. Even though some may say this is an evil, not showing care and compassion for the living is also an evil. This world is not perfect. Making the right choice is ‘is sometimes the acceptance of the lesser of two evils’.

In conclusion, in most cases abortion is not justifiable although there can be some allowances in certain situations. Every man/woman has his/her own mind. We must not condemn people but only advice them of what to do. As a Christian, I do not accept the act of abortion completely although, I can understand that other people have their own views.